Why Aren’t We Fully Monitoring These Active Volcanoes in the U.S.?

The U.S. is one of the most volcanically rich countries in the world, with 169 active volcanoes. 57 of them are deemed high threats. But efforts to predict potential eruptions are being hampered by outdated equipment and lack of funding for scientific monitoring. As we are currently seeing in Iceland, volcanoes can show signs of…

Russia Responds To Canada’s Sarcastic Geography Lesson

Russia has fired back at Canada’s NATO delegation in response to a snarky Ukraine tweet that went viral earlier this week. Canada’s Joint Delegation to NATO fired the first shot by sending this message to Moscow on Wednesday. The tweet was in response to a video which appeared to show Russian soldiers inside Ukraine’s eastern…

The Ebola outbreak currently ravaging West Africa likely started with a single infected person. This is actually good news because it meansthe current strain is descended from the original Ebola viral jump, and not new versions of the pathogen. It also means the current public health response is the right one.

An Interactive Map Lets You See Photos Of Earth Tweeted By Astronauts

Did the astronauts aboard the International Space Station snap a photo of where you live from orbit? Now you can find out, thanks to an interactive map of more than 650 pictures that the astronauts shared with the world on Twitter. The map was created by Dave MacClean, a faculty member at the Centre of…

Americans shouldn’t panic about speculation that ISIS is planning an imminent terrorist attack in the U.S., advises the Truman National Security Project. Despite alarmist reports, the main concern is not a coordinated attack, but that a “lone wolf” sympathizer within the U.S. might act on their own.

Fargo, Double Walking Dead Limited Editions, Robot Vacuums [Deals]

Fargo just won the Emmy for Outstanding Miniseries, get it for 20% (or more) off today. [Fargo] The Walking Dead Season 4 Limited Edition is down to $80 today, its lowest price so far. http://www.bestbuy.com/site/walking-dead-season-4-5-discs-limited-edition-boxed-set-ultraviolet-digital-copy-blu-ray-disc/6978101.p?id=3240085 If you missed the Season 3 Limited Edition, that’s also available today for a low $60. http://www.walmart.com/ip/24627287 We’ve also got…

​The 12 Most Obnoxious Dungeons & Dragons Monsters

In the worlds of D&D, there are countless monsters that terrify the general populace, but only a few truly strike fear into the heart of adventurers. Not because they’re so powerful, mind you, but because they’re really annoying. Here are a dozen player-tormenting monsters beloved by cruel Dungeons Masters. Top image by DeviantArtist Dangercook. 1)…

Newly Announced Super-Earth May Be The Closest Exoplanet Discovered Yet

Gliese15Ab is a newly discovered planet roughly five times the mass of Earth. Researchers aren’t sure what the planet’s atmosphere is like, and it’s close enough to its parent star to heat it past the boiling point of water. But the most interesting thing about Gliese 15Ab isn’t how close it is to its star.…

What If Christopher Nolan Had Directed The Incredibles?

Forget the bright tropical landscapes and jokes; this recut trailer imagines The Incredibles as a Dark Knight-style film, focusing on scenes filled with shadows or fluorescent lighting—and milking every ounce of the movie’s pathos. Bobby Burns cut together this ultra-dramatic take on The Incredibles, which focuses less on the family and more on Mr. Incredible…

The Best of the FCC’s 1.1 Million Net Neutrality Comments

Of the many, many comments received by the FCC, some stood out as diamonds in the very rough. Kudos, web warriors, kudos. https://gizmodo.com/the-weirdest-angriest-and-most-heartfelt-comments-on-1628389996

The Secret German Scheme To Invade America Before The First World War

Nearly two decades before the onset of World War I, Kaiser Wilhelm II set his imperialistic sights on the Americas. But to establish a presence there, Germany would have to put the U.S. in its place. To that end, it devised not one, but three plans to attack and invade America. Here’s how history could…

The Congress Is Your New Favorite Acid Trip

Sometimes the most exhilarating science fiction movies feel kind of hallucinogenic, or logic-resistant. And if you enjoy a trippy journey into wackness, then you should definitely check out The Congress, in theaters today and already available on demand. Spoilers ahead… The Congress is loosely based on The Futurological Congress by Stanislaw Lem. But the main…

io9 Newsstand: Best Stories for the Week of August 25 – 30

Holiday weekend! And that means more time to read. Good thing, too, because there is a lot to read. As of this month there are only a couple of 2013 SFF awards left to be awarded. If you haven’t read all of the short fiction nominated for the World Fantasy, Sturgeon, Hugo, or Nebula awards,…

Every Single Edgar Wright Close-Up Shot In One Video

Let us now celebrate the delightful barrage of close-up shots that accompany every Edgar Wright film with this wonderful compilation video, created by Jaume R. Lloret. What you’re seeing here are the shots from Shaun of the Dead (2004), Hot Fuzz (2007), Scott Pilgrim vs. the World (2010) and The World’s End (2013). Naturally, Wright’s…

Iceland Moves To Red Alert After Small Volcanic Eruption [Updated]

Authorities in Iceland have raised its alert level to maximum after a small eruption occurred overnight in the Bárðarbunga volcano system. Airspace is now closed over the region up to 18,000 feet (5,486 meters) as a cautionary measure, despite no ash being detected by the radar system. Update: Iceland has now lowered its alert to…

We’re Throwing You An End Of Summer GIF Party!

Let’s send off the season properly, GIF-style! Put your news, stories from your week, the details of any long weekend plans, updates about your life, and, of course, the GIF that best expresses it all, into the comments. It’s party time!

​We’re All In It Together: Cosplay With EFF Over Labor Day Weekend

Join the Electronic Frontier Foundation, io9, and a coalition of fan groups over Labor Day weekend for Project Secret Identity, a cosplay photo campaign to raise awareness of how online anonymity and privacy are key to free expression. Visit ProjectSecretIdentity.org during Dragon Con (Aug. 29 – Sept. 1) to participate. For the first time in…

Hayao Miyazaki Earns A Well-Deserved Lifetime Achievement Oscar

It seems impossible that Hayao Miyazaki has won only one Academy Award over his lengthy career — for Spirited Away — but that number will double when the Academy bestows am honorary Lifetime Achievement Award to the Studio Ghibli co-founder at the sixth annual Governors Awards program. He’s the first Japanese filmmaker to earn one…

Is Marvel Finalizing a Deal for Its New Doctor Strange?

Jeremy Renner shoots down a major Avengers: Age of Ultron rumor. The Russos explain how Captain America 3 will be the second half of a two-part story. Guy Ritchie finds his King Arthur star. And what does a set video reveal about an Arrow character’s past? Spoilers now! Top image: Arrow Avengers: Age of Ultron…

The Weirdest, Angriest, and Most Heartfelt Comments on Net Neutrality

The FCC currently has over a million comments on net neutrality. They range from touching, to weird, to apocalyptically angry. We’ve plucked out a few superlative comments to highlight here, but the FCC extended deadline to September 15th so there’s still time for you to send a profanity-laced response. If you haven’t already. Top image:…